Rotary bar-projecting mechanism for push-button implement
A rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement comprises: a first bar held axially slidably in a barrel, an operating means capable of making the first bar project from the front end of the barrel when pushed, a tail cap fixed to the barrel and internally provided with a counter rib, a push button capable of being turned relative to the tail cap and provided with a push rib that is aligned with the counter rib of the tail cap when the push button is at a predetermined angular position, and a second bar held in the push button, capable of being projected from the back end of the push button when the push button is turned, and restrained from turning.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement, such as a writing implement or a cosmetic implement, to project a bar placed in a back part of a barrel included in the push-button implement by rotating the bar.
2. Description of the Related Art
A push button included in a conventional rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement of this kind including a barrel and a bar, such as a stylus, is free to move axially in a state where a part of the bar is projected from the front end of the barrel. Therefore, the bar moves axially if a pressure is applied to the push button while the bar is in use and, consequently, it is difficult to use the bar properly. If things come to the worst, the push button is pushed inadvertently and the bar is projected from the front end of the barrel or retracted into the barrel accidentally (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-45514).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problem and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement including a barrel, a push button and a bar, such as a stylus, held in a back part of the barrel so as to be projected from the barrel by being turned, capable of preventing the bar from drawing back accidentally into the barrel while the bar is in use, and of preventing an accidental operation of the push button.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement, capable of surely projecting a bar by a simple turning operation, and having a cushioning function that absorbs pressure.
According to the present invention, a rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement having a barrel, a first bar held axially slidably in the barrel, and an operating means capable of making the first bar project from the front end of the barrel when pushed comprises: a tail cap fixed to a back part of the barrel; a push member capable of being turned and axially moved relative to the tail cap; and a second bar held in the push member, capable of being projected from an end of the push member without being turned when the push member is turned; wherein the tail cap is internally provided with a holding means capable of preventing the retraction of the bar projecting from the end of the push member into the barrel and of keeping the bar projected from the barrel.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
First Embodiment
Referring to
Referring to
A cam member 4 is combined with the push button 3. The cam member 4 is provided with an inner flange 41 in its middle part. A push spring 5 having a comparatively low resilience is inserted in the cam member 4. A step 45 formed in the outer surface of a front part of the cam member 4 is engaged with the holding step 24 of the tail cap 2. The push spring 5 has one end in contact with one end of a rotary cam 6 to push the rotary cam 6 forward. The rotary cam 6 engages in the cam grooves 7 formed in the inner surface of the tail cap 2.
As shown in
Referring to
The operation of the push-button writing implement provided with the rotary bar-projecting mechanism in the first embodiment will be described. In a state shown in
The operation of the rotary bar-projecting mechanism will be described. The push button 3 is turned in the direction of the arrow shown in
The counter rib 23 of the tail cap 2 and the push rib 36 of the push button 3 can be aligned to set the stylus 8 at the working position by limiting the turning of the push button 3 by a stopping means, such as formation of the internal thread in a predetermined range to allow the push button 3 to be turned in a limited angular range.
In using the stylus 8, if a small gap G is formed between the push rib 36 of the push button 3 and the counter rib 23 of the tail cap 2, which are aligned with each other, the stylus 8 can axially be moved for a cushioning action when an excessive pressure is applied to the stylus to absorb the pressure. When the stylus 8 is used for entering information by touching a comparatively fragile input screen, the cushioning action of the stylus 8 is effective in avoiding damaging the input screen.
Second Embodiment
Third Embodiment
The stylus 8 is held in place, and the push button 3 is turned in the direction of the arrow shown in
Fourth Embodiment
Fifth Embodiment
Sixth Embodiment
Seventh Embodiment
The push-button implement provided with the rotary bar-projecting mechanism of the present invention is not limited to an writing implement, such as a ballpoint pen, and may be a push-button implement that is provided with an article of stationery, such as a paste bar, a correction bar or an eraser, a bar-shaped cosmetic, such as an eye color stick, or such.
As apparent from the foregoing description, the rotary bar-projecting mechanism of the present invention is capable of holding the projected bar in place even if an excessive pressure is applied to the bar while the bar is in use. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism of the present invention is capable of surely projecting the bar by a simple turning operation, and has a cushioning function that absorbs pressure when an excessive pressure is applied to the bar.
Although the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.
Claims
1. A rotary bar-projecting mechanism for a push-button implement, wherein a push rib is formed on an outer side surface of a push member, a holding means is a longitudinal counter rib formed on an inner side surface of a tail cap, the counter rib is formed so as to allow the push member to turn, the counter rib is positioned such that an end surface of the push rib and an end surface of the counter rib do not overlap each other in a state where a second bar is retracted into the push member, and the end surface of the push rib and the end surface of the counter rib overlap at least partly each other with a gap formed between those end surfaces to absorb an excessive pressure applied to the second bar in a state where the second bar is projected from the end surface of the push member.
2. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the push member is provided in its inner side surface with an internal thread, the second bar has a large part of a big diameter provided on its outer side surface with a fragmentary external thread capable of engaging with the internal thread of the push member, and the second bar is able to move axially and is restrained from turning.
3. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the operating means includes a push cam connected to the push member, and a rotary cam capable of turning and engaged in a guided by cam grooves formed in the inner surface of the tail cap, the push cam is provided in its inner side surface with an internal thread, the second bar has a part provided on its outer side surface with a fragmentary external thread capable of engaging with the internal thread of the push member, the push cam is provided in its back end part with slits in which the fragmentary external thread engage, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
4. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second bar is provided on its outer side surface with an external thread, a push cam included in the operating means has a back part provided in its inner side surface with an internal thread, the push cam is provided with a projection that engages with a rib formed on the inner side surface of the push member, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
5. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second bar has a bottom surface provided with a hole in which a projection formed on a push cam included in the operating means is fitted, the push cam is provided with a fragmentary external thread that engages with an internal thread formed in the push member, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
6. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second bar has a large part having a bevel end serving as a cam, a push cam included in the operating means has a bevel back end serving as a cam and engaged with the bevel end of the second bar, a push spring is extended between the push member and the large part of the second bar, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
7. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second bar is provided with stopper projections engaged in holes formed in a side wall of the push member, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
8. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second bar is a stylus having a hollow base part provided on its inner side surface with an internal thread, a push cam included in the operating means has a back part provided on its outer surface with an external thread that engages with the internal thread of the stylus, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
9. The rotary bar-projecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the push member is provided in its inner side surface with an internal thread, a refill holder holding the first bar is provided on its outer side surface with a fragmentary external thread that engages with the internal thread of the push member, and the second bar is able to slide axially and is restrained from turning.
Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 20, 2003
Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
Patent Publication Number: 20040213622
Assignee: Kotobuki & Co., Ltd. (Kyoto-fu)
Inventors: Hidehei Kageyama (Kawagoe), Yoshio Noguchi (Kawagoe)
Primary Examiner: David J. Walczak
Attorney: Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck
Application Number: 10/465,866